Polestar is a high performance Swedish automotive brand established by Volvo in 1996. The Volvo Group has a long history of success and was established in 1927. Since then the company has had multiple owners, to include the US based, Ford Motor Company. Its current owner is a Chinese automotive behemoth, Geely Automobile, which acquired Volvo Cars in 2010. Geely also owns the automotive brands Lotus Cars and Polestar.
Volvo Cars was one of the first mainstream OEM’s to commit to a push towards zero-emission road transportation. In 2017, the company announced its intention to ‘electrify every car in our range’. Volvo is not new to ‘electric propulsion’ and has already deployed a test fleet of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in 2010 and had launched the first plug-in hybrid diesel cars in 2012.
The automotive manufacturer has an ambition to achieve 50% sales from pure electric cars and the remaining 50% from plug-in hybrid electric cars by 2025. The company is also committed to becoming ‘climate neutral’ across the value chain by 2040. The company’s portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) include:
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
The Polestar 3 is a defining moment in the history of the automotive brand. The Polestar 3 is the first pure electric SUV from Polestar and also the first Polestar EV to use the SPA2 (Scalable Product Architecture) platform used by parent group, Volvo.
The Polestar 3 is now available to order in the UK with deliveries expected to commence in fourth quarter 2023. The all-electric Polestar 3 competes in an already fierce segment of pure electric premium SUVs. However, the Polestar 3 has much to offer those seeking a premium e-SUV.
The Polestar 3 is available in one EV battery size: 111 kWh and in two variants: Long Range Dual Motor and Long Range Dual Motor: Performance Pack. The automotive manufacturer claims a zero-emission electric range up to 379 miles (WLTP) for the entry-level Long Range Dual Motor and up to 347 miles (WLTP) for the Performance Pack variant.
Even adjusting for real-world driving i.e. weather, temperature, road conditions, driving profile, load, speed, tyre size etc, the Polestar 3 offers excellent pure electric range for short and long distance driving. For the Long Range Dual Motor, expect a real-world range closer to 325 miles and for the Performance Pack, a 300 miles EV range. Both variants offer a class-leading practical electric range.
For longer motorway driving trips, the Polestar 3 electric SUV offers DC charging capability up to 250 kW DC. Despite the limited availability of 250 kW ultra-rapid DC charging infrastructure, it is indeed good to note that Polestar has offered this capability as standard. A prudent future proof strategy! The Polestar EV can be charged 10%-80% in 30 minutes.
The Polestar 3 EV offers a 3-phase 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard. However, given that the majority of homes have single-phase power supply in the UK, taking advantage of the 11 kW onboard charger will be only for those with access to three-phase EV charging at home, work or at a public destination.
At 11 kW, the EV battery can be fully charged in 11 hours. Single-phase EV charging will take longer. We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper.
The Polestar family electric SUV is available as an all-wheel drive (AWD), as standard. The Long Range Dual Motor variant can achieve 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds (max power: 483 bhp/ 840 Nm torque). The top of the range, Long Range Dual Motor: Performance Pack can achieve 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds (max power: 510 bhp/ 910 Nm torque). The top speed is 130 mph.
In terms of technology and features, the EV has much to offer either as standard or an option upgrade pack. These include: 9” driver display, 14.5” centre display, Head-Up-Display (HUD), ADAS: advanced driver assistance systems, regenerative stability control, night-time collision warning, intelligent speed assist, rear collision warning and mitigation, blind spot information and more.
In terms of practicality, the EV offers up to 484 L boot space and a 32 L frunk (front storage compartment). As for exterior styling, the Polestar 3 is sporty and stunning!
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax charge for pure electric cars. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric cars e-zoomed at fantastic prices.
The All-Electric Polestar 3 SUV (credit: Polestar)
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
